NHL Developments: Waivers and Player Movements

The NHL is seeing significant roster movements, particularly with notable players placed on waivers and the recall of Carter Hart by the Vegas Golden Knights. According to Daily Faceoff, on November 30, the Minnesota Wild placed forward Tyler Pitlick on waivers and the Philadelphia Flyers did the same with defenseman Adam Ginning, making them available to the rest of the league. Pitlick, who has had limited impact so far this season, registered no points in 15 games with the Wild, though he has also played five games in the AHL, scoring three goals and an assist. Ginning, meanwhile, has been fluctuating between the Flyers and their AHL affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. He has played five games with Philadelphia this season without registering a point and has one assist in five games with the Phantoms.

In a contrasting move, the Golden Knights recalled goaltender Carter Hart from the Henderson Silver Knights following a conditioning stint. Hart, who has had a controversial history, was recently acquitted along with four others related to a 2018 incident. He was signed to a two-year contract worth an average annual value of $2 million after the charges were dropped. Hart's call-up comes at a critical time for the Knights, as starting goaltender Adin Hill is sidelined with a long-term lower-body injury. In his time with the Silver Knights, Hart posted a less-than-stellar record of one win and two losses, with a 3.07 goals-against average and an .839 save percentage over three games. There is speculation that Hart could make his first appearance for the Golden Knights as early as Tuesday night against the Chicago Blackhawks. Previously, Hart played six seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers, boasting a record of 96 wins, 93 losses, and 29 overtime losses, along with a 2.94 goals-against average and six shutouts.

In addition to these movements, the Blackhawks are managing their own goaltending situation, with Laurent Brossoit nearing a return from an injury that kept him out of the entire previous season. Brossoit is expected to begin a conditioning stint with the Rockford IceHogs soon, and the Blackhawks have granted other teams permission to speak with him regarding a potential trade. However, his $3.3 million cap hit poses a challenge for any acquiring team. Brossoit was part of the Golden Knights' Stanley Cup-winning roster in 2022-23, achieving a 15-5-2 record, a 2.00 goals-against average, and a .927 save percentage during his last full NHL season. The interplay of these player movements and waivers highlights the ongoing adjustments teams are making as they strive for optimization in the midst of the season's challenges.